Don't Run Where I Can't Follow
by oneofthefreepeople
Summary: Jeremy and Tyler have formed a close friendship after all they've been through together. Will the secret Tyler has been keeping from Jeremy destroy their relationship? Jyler. Contains references to sex.


If there's one thing that I've realised in the last year it's that Tyler Lockwood is a lot different from what I thought he was. I used to think that he was a total jock: stupid, confrontational with way too much testosterone in his system and seriously angry with the world… the world being primarily me. I can't give an exact number on all the fights we've had or the number of bruises on my body that was caused by him.

We've been through a lot together now and we've become friends. He's one of the most important people in my life right now and I'm still surprised to learn new things about him every day. I've discovered that he's a fan of Supernatural, which I found ironic considering what he is and our everyday life. You'd think the guy would want some escape from all things supernatural in his downtime. He got me watching it and now it's how we spend most of our Friday nights. Since he and Caroline broke up he hasn't been keen on going out or spending time with the other girls we used to hang out with. I like the side of him that I get to see when we're alone. He's really funny; I never smile as much as when I'm with him. We can sit and draw for hours without becoming bored and finding someone who's into that is difficult to find in Mystic Falls. This town has the artistic depth of a shallow water puddle.

Right now we're watching another episode of Supernatural. If we keep this up we'll be finished with the third season for the fifth time. We really need to find something else to watch. Tyler seems distracted tonight. He keeps fidgeting and moving around in his seat. It's beginning to unnerve me and I want to know what's going on.

"Dude, what's your deal tonight? You haven't stopped moving since you sat down."

Tyler looked at me for the first time in hours and he seemed troubled. The way his eyes keep moving around the room has me thinking that he's nervous.

"I…I need to talk to you about something. And it can't leave this room." He said.

I frowned but nodded my head.

"I'm serious. You have to promise, Jer."

My mouth turned upwards at his use of my nickname. I don't know if it's because of him calling my 'Gilbert' for years or if it's just the way he says it. Whatever it is, it feels good in a strange way. Like something inside of me is warming up.

"Yeah, I promise. What's up, Ty?"

He looked down at his hands and seemed to try to plan what he was going to say in his mind. It was strange to see Tyler this way; he always knows what he wants to say when it comes to me. Sometimes it was surprising that he knew me so well. He looked up at me and took a deep breath.

"I've been experiencing some strange… feelings lately." He said, cringing at the word 'feelings'.

"What kind of feelings?" I asked.

He grimaced.

"It's not really the feelings that are bothering me. It's the person which they're directed towards."

I was confused. Did Tyler have feelings for some new girl? An image of Tyler lying with his head on some girls lap while watching TV crossed my mind. I felt a little twinge somewhere in my gut. I didn't understand the jealousy I felt at the thought of a girl getting to touch him like that. I felt jealous of the fact that I would have to share him with someone else again. These feelings surprised me. I didn't realise how dependent on him I had let myself become.

"Jer?"

I looked up at him, realising I'd spaced out.

"Sorry. How did you manage to develop feelings for a new girl? You've barely left your house other than to go to mine… wait, it's not Elena, is it? Because she doesn't need more drama now when Damon has moved on."

He smiled a little of my mentioning of Elena.

"No, dude. It's not your sister. She's not my type."

I sighed in relief. I tried to ignore the magnitude of relief I felt at Elena not being Tyler's type. My emotions over this were confusing me. I suddenly felt very possessive of Tyler. He was **mine** now. He had spent most of his time with me lately and somehow that entitled my ego to claim him as mine. I felt uncomfortable with this revelation. I wasn't gay, or at least I've been living my life so far believing that. Tyler certainly wasn't gay. He had to be the straightest guy I've ever met.

"Bonnie?" I asked, trying not to sound too jealous.

Tyler laughed.

"No,man. That is even farther away from my type. Besides, she and Damon have been flirting a lot lately. If you look past all the threats and insults it's obvious they're going to hook up sooner or later."

I smiled at this. Bonnie and Damon usually insulted each other at least a few times a day but lately they'd been more playful in each other's company. I liked this. Not only did it make everyone's life easier but they also were good for each other. Tyler interrupted any further thoughts I had on that subject.

"I… how the hell do I say this?" he looked down at his hands again. They were turning white from the way he'd been clenching them into fists.

"Ty, you can tell me anything. I won't judge… unless you tell me you have a crush on Katherine. That would ruin my opinion of you forever."

"Very funny. I'm not a Salvatore, the chick doesn't affect me…" he paused.

"No girl does anymore." He looked at me and for the first time since we killed Klaus, Tyler looked scared.

First I didn't understand what he meant and I was about to ask him what that was supposed to mean when it hit me. My mouth was open and I closed it again. Was he really saying that he wasn't into a girl? A guy? Tyler Lockwood's gay? My thoughts were running through my head so fast that I didn't notice Tyler getting off the couch and starting to pace across the room.

"But you've always liked girls… right?" I was still struggling with this newfound development.

"Yeah. I'm not gay, Jer. It's just… there's this one guy I can't get out of my head. I'm going out of my mind right now. What's wrong with me?" he seemed so lost and confused and I felt so bad for him. I wanted to hug him and tell him it was going to be okay.

"There's nothing wrong with you. You can't help who you're attracted to."

He stopped pacing and turned to me. His shoulders relaxed a little bit, visible relieved that I didn't react in a negative way.

"Do I know him?" I asked. He looked at his feet before coming to sit on the coffee table in front of me. He was just a few feet away from me and I wanted to be closer to him. I tried to supress the urge to lean closer to his face. I needed to get a grip on myself. I didn't know why I was getting so emotional over Tyler liking someone. I didn't have a claim on him, no matter what my ego was screaming at me.

"Yeah, you do. He's my best friend nowadays… he kicks my ass at Counter Strike, he saved my life despite the fact that he knew what influence Klaus had on me. He's been keeping me company for weeks watching the same Supernatural episodes over and over again." He stared at me while he said this.

My heart was racing now. Was he really saying this? Did he really have feelings for me? It was a lot to take in. I broke our gaze and took a few deep breaths. I felt warm inside; the kind of warmth he alone could induce in me. When I raised my head again to tell him that I had feelings for him too he was gone. I looked around the room but he was nowhere to be found. I cursed out loud at his vampire speed. Damn vampires for being so overly emotional! He probably thought I was rejecting him when I looked away from him.

I reached into my pocket, pulled out my phone and dialled "1" on my speed dial.

"What?" he sounded hostile but I knew that he was hurt. He always did that when I stroke a nerve back when we were fighting all the time.

"Why did you take off just like that?" I wanted to know if he left because of me. I was pretty sure that that was the reason for his sudden departure but I wanted to be certain.

"There was nothing more to say. I was a dick, as always. Can we forget that it ever happened?" he was trying to run away from the problem.

"No, we can't just forget it. And there is more to say. Where are you?"

"I can make you forget, Jer. It'd be easy enough." His voice had a strange tone to it. I didn't like it when he talked like that. It was the vampire side of him and I hated Tyler when he was like that. Tyler was anything but cold. He was too hot in fact. Not just physical but emotionally as well. He took everything close to heart. It was one of the things I loved about him.

"Don't go there. Ty, please. Come back." I was pleading with him but I didn't care.

Silence. I wanted to hear his voice. I needed to hear his voice. I needed _him_.

"Ty?"

There was a knock on the door. I went to open it with my phone pressed to my ear. Tyler stood on the other side. His shoulders were hunched and he looked so human in the moment. His clothes looked rumpled from the wind and they were slightly damp because of the rain.

"Inside." I whispered.

He looked up into my eyes and I couldn't breathe. Those eyes were bottomless and they pulled me in to the point of me drowning in them. I wonder if he knows what those eyes could do to me. I caught myself thinking that I would do anything for him, compelled or not.

He stepped inside and I closed the door and leaned against it. He was so close. All I had to do was reach for him but I knew that it wasn't that simple.

"You vampires need to learn how to deal with conversations you don't want to have. You can't just disappear like that, Ty."

He sighed. I pushed myself off the door and put my arms around him. He tensed at the action but didn't move. I hugged him close, snuggling my face into his neck. God, he smelled so good. Everything about him was intoxicating. Suddenly I felt him moving his arms, breaking my hold on him. I felt pain at him not wanting to be close to me right now when all I wanted was to comfort him. He surprised me by pulling me back to him, crushing me against his body. I didn't care that I could barely breathe. Having him so close; feeling every part of him against me. _Oh God_, he feels good. His body is hard but he isn't cold like other vampires. His werewolf side made him warmer than normal humans and vampires alike.

When I began to feel dizzy from the lack of oxygen getting to my brain I let go of him. He reluctantly broke his hold of me and took a step back. An involuntary whine left my mouth and he raised an eyebrow, confused. I blushed a little of my lack of self-control and pulled him close again.

"Don't ever walk out on me like that again. Promise me, Ty." I whispered into his neck.

I felt him sigh again.

"I'll try my best not to." I knew that that was as good as it was going to get with him in his current state of mind.

"You're my best friend, Ty. I've never had a friend like you before. No one has ever understood me the way you do without even trying. And considering my luck with people I… I can't lose you too."

He pulled back a little to look at me.

"You're never going to lose me, Jer. No matter what you do. Okay? If you want us to be friends then that's enough for me. I'm not going to disappear just because of you don't feel the same way. I'm sorry if I scared you."

I can't stop myself from leaning into him and kissing him on the lips. He was a little surprised at first but eventually responded. Kissing him was unlike kissing anyone else I've ever kissed. With Vicki there was always the taste of alcohol and smoke, with Anna there was an inhuman sweetness and with Bonnie it just felt strange, so hesitant and awkward. Tyler… Tyler felt amazing. His lips were softer than I thought they would be and he tasted like cinnamon, mint and something that I can't explain. I was addicted to him after only one kiss. His tongue sought to enter my mouth and I smiled against his lips and granted him what he wanted. Tyler pushed me against the wall as his tongue claimed my mouth. He could've killed me and I would have gladly died of happiness.

I started to feel the need to breathe after a while and reluctantly pulled away from him. His lips were swollen and his eyes clouded with lust. God, I wanted nothing more than to take him upstairs and have him fuck me senseless but I knew we needed to talk before anything like that would happen.

"Ty, before this goes any further we need to talk about this."

He rolled his eyes but went into the kitchen and gracefully hopped onto the kitchen island. I stood with my back against the fridge. He still looked so tempting sitting there, with his shirt half open… had I done that without realising it? His chest and his abs were visible and I couldn't help but stare at him. How is it even possible that a man that gorgeous could want me? Tyler followed my eyes and looked at his shirt and smirked.

"Somewhere deep down you want me, Gilbert. We both know it."

His voice was light but I could sense the question and hesitation in it. He still wasn't sure what that kiss meant. He didn't know how to interpret my response to him. He looked a little insecure behind all that false bravado.

"No-" he froze. "I want you. All the time. End of story."

He was off the kitchen island and against me in a millisecond. He kissed me forcefully and I couldn't refuse him. To push him away would've killed me. I needed him so badly. Screw talking!

I pulled at him and moaned loudly when his mouth left my lips and attacked my neck.

"Bedroom. Now." I managed to get out between moans.

Tyler looked up and grinned. He took my hand and pulled me up the stairs.

The sunlight crept through the blinds and irritated my eyes. I groaned and tried to move but an arm that was wrapped around my chest stopped me. The arm held me tightly and pressed me back against a body behind me. I smiled, remembering who that arm belonged to. The smile widened when I thought about what we did last night. Images of Tyler completely naked and aroused entered my thoughts and I felt a heat coil in my lower stomach. I wanted him again. He did something to me that no one's ever done before. I felt so hungry for him, all parts of him. He didn't even know how sexy he was.

I turned around slightly in his vicelike grip to face him. He was still asleep. He looked younger than he was when he slept, so peaceful. So beautiful. He would laugh it off if I told him that but it was true. This sight was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen: Tyler Lockwood lying naked in my bed sleeping. I kissed his forehead softly; I couldn't stop myself from touching him.

"I love you, Ty." I whispered. He couldn't hear it but I needed to say it anyway. My feelings for him were finally clear to me. I loved him with all of my heart and the thought of losing him was unbearable. He was **mine** and judging from how possessive he was with me last night I think he felt the same. A husky voice interrupted my train of thought.

"And here I thought I was a one night stand." He opened his eyes and looked straight into mine. I'm in so deep that I don't think I can get out now. He has me.

"I wouldn't do that. You know I wouldn-"

"I know, Jer. I know…God, I love you so much, Jeremy. "

I kissed him again. The kiss got more passionate and I straddled his waist and pulled away to look at him. He reached out his hand and traced his fingers over my cheekbone like he was afraid I was going to break.

"Jer…You don't know what you mean to me." He whispered softly.

"Show me, Ty. _Please_." I begged. I wanted him; I needed his body and his love.

A smile graced his mouth and he proceeded by giving me exactly what I wanted. Nothing has ever felt so good. Nothing will ever feel so good again. And I wouldn't have it any other way.


End file.
